Worn leather work gloves lie on a coiled rope against a warmly lit brown background.

Original artwork, not a still

Lyndon Baines Johnson

In the Great Society, work shall be an outlet for man’s interests and desires. Each individual shall have full opportunity to use his capacities in employment which satisfies personally and contributes generally to the quality of the Nation’s life.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Johnson pictures work as more than a paycheck. Everyone should get a real chance to use their abilities in a job that feels personally fulfilling. It should also benefit the nation, so individual satisfaction and shared wellbeing are meant to go together.

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